In the high, swampy lands of Saarijärvi, a poor farmer named Paavo lived on a frozen patch of land. He worked hard, digging, plowing, and planting, but he trusted that God would provide the harvest. He lived there with his wife and children, earning their meager living through sweat and labor.
When spring came, the snow melted — but half the young crops washed away with it. Summer brought hailstorms, beating down half of what was left. Then autumn came, and frost destroyed the rest.
Paavo’s wife broke down and cried, "Paavo, bad luck follows us. Let’s just give up and beg — it’s hard to beg, but starving is worse."
But Paavo took her hand and said, "No, God is testing us, not abandoning us. Mix bark into the bread to make it stretch further. I’ll dig twice as many ditches, and we’ll keep trusting God."
So the wife mixed bark into the bread. Paavo dug twice as many ditches, sold their sheep to buy rye seeds, and planted again.
Spring came — the snow melted — and again half the young crops washed away. Summer came with hail, and knocked down even more. Autumn’s frost finished off what was left.
The wife beat her chest and cried, "Paavo, bad luck never leaves us! Let’s just die — death would be easier than this miserable life."
But Paavo again took her hand and said, "No, God is testing us, not abandoning us. Mix in even more bark with the bread. I’ll dig even bigger ditches, and trust God for the harvest."
She doubled the bark in the bread, and he dug bigger ditches, sold their cows to buy more rye, and planted once more.
Spring came — and this time, the crops stayed. Summer came — and hailstorms didn’t destroy them. Autumn came — and frost left the fields golden and ready for harvest.
Paavo dropped to his knees and said, "Truly, God only tests us, He doesn't forsake us." His wife knelt too and said the same.
Then she happily told him, "Paavo, it’s finally time to celebrate! We can throw out the bark and bake real bread again!"
But Paavo took her hand and said, "No, only those who help their neighbors through hard times truly endure. Mix in half bark still — our neighbor’s fields were destroyed by frost."